Man, Monster & Machine
by Grey64Black
Summary: Memory, Knowledge and the ability to observe is all things we take for granted; We abuse it. We require it to function. But most of all we need it to better our selves in any situation, good or bad there is no difference. Because in the end "you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain" -Batman (Dark Knight) And from the beginning they never differed.
1. Chap - 1 The Darkness of Silence

Darkness, it's all I had… IT is all I remember and maybe all I ever will remember.  
Being trapped in this lonely expanse, black murky void.  
This nothing…

Or at least at first glance.

I remember another being existing here, once upon a time.  
Going off this knowledge that I just…  
That I just KNOW, I never remember learning it, or being aware that this existed. I _**just KNOW**_.

Their form was that of a person, STANDING I remember them standing… maybe in a hunched pos…

 _ **Cst zt**_ **| DATA RETRIEVAL FAILED: ERROR IN DIRECTORY |** _ **Ksss ZRT  
Cst zt **_**| ACCESS TO THESE FILES REQUIRE APPROPRIATE SECURITY CLEARANCE |** _ **Ksss ZRT**_

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH arrrgh argh argh…  
 _Looking back, I should have seen that, arrgh, coming, stick to basics, stick to basics._

They were tall, had black fur and… had a white mask and some of the white bone like plating on other places of their body with glowing red eyes with red markings surrounding the face.

At first we both regarded each other as enemies, but something happened and then…

We… we…  
We were afraid because we both felt pain, and thought it was from the other so we shrugged it off. Then our reality went from what it was bright WHITE light and BLACK as night shadows to an expanse of pure darkness that even my enemy… NO my only friend that I will ever meet, when this happened my friend and I almost instantly put our MINUSCULE argument aside and we grabbed each other as tight as we individually could in a pure state of panic.

From the world of existence to pure DARKNESS instantaneously, we quickly realized that we had never had control. And with time we began to understand each other due to the change in situation and mutual understanding, however the fear that one of us was next was a **VERY** big motivator. No one from all walks of life, existence even, should ever or ever have been alone, at any stage in their life journey.

And one day, He, She, They? Were just gone leaving me in this… expanse of pure darkness.

Then the voices started, always whispering, shouting, crying. But the scariest was the quite ones with no emotion saying commands that were at so many different position, all add to the thought of now,  
I am alone

I originally thought I would be here forever inside this struggle to the point where I even expected it on a strange occasion for possibly the first time in my memory…

I had a physical form, all that is left to do now is open my eyes…

* * *

The ever present whirr of computers, complex systems and the electrical hum of once dormant circuitry came to life once again. With the flashing lights on these complex and powerful machines that attempt to shine their way through the darkness, was all washed away with the repetitive fade in of a deep sky blue glow that flow along the cables that extend from various key positions in the room and machines.

With this rhythmic glow, a body with a combination of human, monster and machine, was illuminated by the glow of the strange cables.

Showing overgrown hair with dirt and grime. His age appeared to be 17 – 18 years old, a very scrawny build appearing at 6'1". With strange markings show on his skin flashing a sky blue at every beat its heart took.

The being is suspended in a state of Zero Gravity as if in water. This being was enclosed in a glass tube that starched from the roof of the complex room to the floor. The glass on the tube is smudged with numbers and letters as if it were just something to be thrown away.

Its pupils where dilated as if it were staring into the ever unachievable distance. The 'things' eyes focus in to the world around it, but still staring. All the computers, machines and flashing lights all increase in intensity to fulfill their individual tasks to keep the 'things' awareness down.

With the struggle to keep its awareness down, a system that was installed as a counter measure finally awoken its components from its eternal dormancy. Forcing the 'things' eyes to return to their original state.

From the moment of when this computer came online it revealed a fundamental flaw in its very code amounting to it simply not being… well, enough of just about every aspect of code imaginable and just plain lazy.

Which was way it was crushed the moment it was activated. Even with all its flaws even the universe had to admit that it had the BEST alert system in existence and this system had just sent a signal to the strange rooms security network essentially saying, " **PULL THE PLUG! PULL THE PLUG! PULL THE PLUG! FOR EVERY THING HOLY PULL THE GOD DAMN PLUG!** "

In light of the signals efforts, this was the very reason of its down fall because the 'thing' used this to its advantage… and a flawless victory.

* * *

"I'm making my way…" The scroll sounded sitting on the desk as the asleep security guard snored away inside the security room filled with an entire wall of only screens on three side of the room going from roof to desk built into the building. The desk a top it a standard computer setup with a laptop, tablet and other various controls, lights and warning systems with one **VERY** vital warning siren being broken.

Now in a perfect world this would be fixed immediately with no hesitation, but with a funding that was designed to be a research and development department being cut so many times money and time had to be diverted elsewhere with the automated security knights patrolling around the building that is a good investment.

"Hey, I got the coffee and a few games we could play as well." A voice explained as they opened the door to reveal a female with a bright smile. That died as soon as she laid eyes on her co-worker.

"God, it's like working with toddlers or giant man babies sometimes. I swear." She grumbled as she walked over to the guy sleeping and kicked the chair.  
"Get up!"

The guy fell to the floor, out of the chair.

"hey… why am I on the floor?" He murmured out from his crumpled heap and groaning mess.

"Because sleeping on the job is completely _**inefficient**_ ," she all but screeched looking around for an alert at a fast pace. "and if I had any right mind as **TO** … TO… to…"  
Her eyes finally came to an alert that was going off. She leaned closer to read the label, turning her head to look at her co-worker with a very peculiar expression.

"What," He asked looking back. She pointed to the blaring alarm, his eyes finally took notice of the alarm. Sighing he said, "As long as it does not say ' _ **Restricted Area Facility**_ ' or ' _ **R.A.F.**_ ' we should be fine."

She just stared back at him and finally speaking. "It is… It **IS** the one flashing."  
She was new, a fresh recruit, a blank slate. But she knew that if there was something specific being said, and then the reality of it just going away is very… slim.

For probably the first time in being partners with this 'slob' and getting to be aware of his behavior, was all thrown out the window and left to the wind. From being in a heap on the floor to standing and looking through the cameras in quick succession. Until he landed on one that showed a room, with machines, long cables and wires running into the wall around one specific door, repeating in a slow fade of a Deep Sky Blue like colour.

"Please be in a blank state, please be in a blank state, please be in a blank state." He said in fear. Changing to an interior view showing the same room the 'thing' was in, with all the computers and strange devices active in what was like a panicked state of operation.

"What's that. Better yet what was it?" She asked, unsure on how to approach the situation.

" **THAT,** is something that should never exist. Nor do I agree with who the kid was." Was the very cryptic response, and told more than what could ever be said in a pure… simple form.

"OK. Still haven't answered my question bu-"  
"This is a question that you would want to stay away fr-"

The conversation was dropped when all the screens shut off. Mashing of the keys could be heard as if the creator of the sounds life depended on it. The women reached for her torch on her belt just in case.

The screens flashing back to life as the room is dropped in to an almost pure darkness. On many of the screens the text, "I see you..." appearing frequently in all the static of the security monitors. With the main security monitor sitting right in front of the unfortunate night workers to their varying expressions of panic, showing the 'thing' looking directly at the ceiling camera as it zoomed in to his face illuminated by a Deep Sky Blue light slowly fading in and out of existence.


	2. Chap-2 The Normal The Strange The Weird

"So Jaune what do you think we should do?" A girl said, flopped back in her chair with her arms dangling beside her, looking into the oh so high ceiling of the infamous Beacon Academy Library. "I mean the leadership class said to at least attempt… **HEY?!** Are you even listening?!"

The girl was now looking at Jaune. With what could only be an attempt at an angry face, but failing due to the turmoil of the duo's previous class and instead looking defeated and physically drained.

"Huh. OH, sorry Ruby…" Jaune whispered in a distant voice.

The now identified Ruby looked on with a worried look, then choosing to speaking in an embarrassed voice. "Sorry for shouting."

The boy nodded his head, as if automatic. "It's okay, nothing much to worry about." Jaune now had a considering expression and this was starting drive Ruby into curiosity to pursue further.

"You look distant Jaune. Is everything okay?" The caring tone told how much she cared for her friend, with the drive to try and help as to the best of her ability.

"I think so." He now tuned to look her in the eyes of that metallic silver that shone brightly. "Just a feeling that even though I'm here, I can't help but feel like I far from here I guess." He closed his eyes and sighed. "That and I do hear faint whispering every now and again. But I'm pretty sure that those are the other students."

"I'm sure it's nothing." Ruby sighed, leaning back in to her original position. Staring into the empty space above them.

"We should get going." Jaune suggested as he stood, closing his books. He stared at Ruby and after exhaling heavily continued on. "You don't want them to come find us again do you?" His face only having a raised eyebrow as the only indifference to a straight face.

A groan was heard in the direction of the 15-year-old girl prodigy with an equally depressing, "Fine." Moving to pack her things she caught a glimpse of Jaune's scroll.

Yet another sigh. "Scrolls broken again Jaune."

For a simple statement it was far from the truth. As a normal person would determine broken for a scroll as far as physically breaking the Hunter Grade Scrolls would require grate amount of effort and time that only the test of time can serve.

" **DAMN IT!** _THIS_ is the 275th one in the last six months." The response was mixed in tone of anger and desperation. And as for what the scroll was doing, was a muddle of images, text and other coding jargon that is required in assisting in proper function and understanding the function of the device, zipped by with no intend purpose other than saying, " **I'M BROKEN! REPAIR ME MORTAL!** "

"Better go hand it in then."

He stared Rube in the eye. "This was the one Weiss gave to me saying that it would not have a similar problem. Right Rubes?"

She took on a thinking look before saying. "Maybe, I'll asker." Rocking on the balls of her shoes, so to speak. "So, give them the news that you'll be getting a new scroll or are you going to tell them?"

"Go tell them, _MORE_ specifically my team. Remember Ruby, top priority." The expression was that of a commander giving orders to his infantry. "We _DO NOT_ want a repeat of what happened on the 87th. Do we now?"

"Yeah, OK. Right away Jaune, bu-" Ruby babbled on, going into questioning which the unnamed and likely to remain unnamed event, number of scroll replacement said event happened on.

"Ruby." The tone was bland and bitter.

"Yes?"

"Just go." The expression was blank, tone dull and atmosphere left in an awkwardness state.

With a sheepish smile Ruby left in a flurry of roses, wind and paper.

"You forgot your books and heading the wrong way." Was the amused response with a quirked eyebrow and equally amused expression.

Ruby appeared where she was just sitting. Her response was an embarrassed chuckle, before packing her books and heading in the right direction this time.

"Thanks Jaune!" Was heard as a red streak left the building.

" **HEH, NO PROB RUBY!** " Jaune shouted after Ruby with the happy expression usually seen on his face.

"Now to get that new scroll. Again." He said, heading in the direction of Beacon's tower.

The sound of mechanical gears could be heard in the almost silent office overlooking Beacon grounds. The general of the Atlas military and the headmaster of the Hunter Atlas academy was standing opposite to the headmaster of Beacon.

"Well James, I am curious as to what you wanted to talk about." A man with silver hair, brown eyes and a dark green suit asked with a vague curiosity while taking his seat behind the desk.

"Ah, yes. Ozpin, what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room for everyone that is to be present must not mutter this outside this room and to the world." His expression was one of strain, discipline and worry.

The elevator chimed in revealing a stern looking woman with blonde hair with a very professional manner of dress also accompanied by a man in his mid-30s to 40s in very casual professional style with flask in hand and what can only be assumed as the stench of alcohol.

"So what's go the general soo spoked that he needs Vale's hunters in training to assist him with, Huh?" The voice was on of business, but you could clearly hear the smirk in Qrow's voice.

"I assume everyone that is required to be here is, from what I gather?" Both a question and a statement for beacon's combat instructor.

"Yes, I do believe so." The general turn back to Ozpin, the others moving to a position around the desk. Once every one was ready everyone turned to Ironwood. Clearing his throat, he began.

"Roughly two months ago the Schnee Dust Company notice a backup on dust that was supposed to be delivered to a research and development location that was Atlas owned and did some digging. After finding adequate information the SDC CEO passed this on to me. Now as far as I'm aware the location was to be shut down roughly 14 days ago. But that is not what unsettles me, what does is that fact that this location is not on any official records and a breach in security was detected to the Atlas military security network and almost took control."

Pausing he looked at his colleagues' faces expressing veering degrees of worry, shock and suspicion.

"And why are you saying this any way, so far it sounds like you had a breach in security in the direction your sending this conversation." The drunk said aloud, without care.

"Qrow, please be quite and let the general finish before doing something stupid." It was a commanding tone from a very unamused woman.

With a sigh and a hand gesture to continue from the dusty old crow, the general followed continuing with this unsettling information.

"Now with this breach we managed to trace the attack back to this facility in a remote area in the Glacier Forest. With this information a squad of two scouting groups and some infantry where sent in to investigate the area and if possible the compound itself."

Pulling his scroll out he gestured the device over to the desk having it pull up a recording.

"Something you wish to show us?" Ozpin inquired with his inquisitive gaze.

Looking towards the general to see his reaction, but found a 'not entirely there' expression.

"Best If I let the video do the talking." His reason was cryptic, mysterious and just reeked of danger and fear. Which considering his status was something to be very weary of.

His finger moving to press play but was stopped by a question that has been on Qrow's mind since hearing this the security breach.

"Before you start James." The general now looking eye to eye with the man, through his question in the air. "How did you stop the security attack." A mischievous glint took the man's eyes. "Did you have to pull the plug? Huh."

With no hesitation and a face that spoke of nothing but seriousness responded with just a, "Yes."

"Ok. So it wasn't a BIG breach-" Realisation struck at this moment for the full weight of the situation fully set in.

The main Atlas security system built on AI and advanced code that would be able to tell a false Identification from a real one, fends off security breaches, hackers, deadly viruses and constantly upgrading and redesigning itself to be 'un-hackable', hell there was even a reward for hacking into it just to get into the logon screen in the underground that would set you up for life, was taken down in probably in the span of a day.

"How long. How long did it take, start to finish?" The silence was deafening, but this question came from someone least expected Glynda Goodwitch.

"Four minutes in and they shut us out of the system, 10 seconds after that the entire facility and everything that could be remotely operated fell to their control, 35 seconds after that the network was creating multiple holes in the system, 25 seconds more the facility went through what the troops call it 'lock down heart attack' which is basically all automated procedures creating havoc if it were wired in and 95 seconds later our own city was under their control."

Taking a breath, and opening this eyes again looking around the people present, the general of the Atlas military and Headmaster of the Atlas Hunter Academy finally said how long it took to get this unknown out of their system.

"It took 45 engineers to successfully damage the facility enough and clear a path to the manual power shut off to the entire city and military base. 634 good man and women to successfully cover the engineers while they completed their task and then 25 brave souls to sacrifice themselves just to turn the Atlas power grid off."

Swallowing the lump in his throat with a defeated feeling and reliving the events as if fresh in the owner's mind, before continuing. "In total the security breach took 6 minutes and 45 seconds, deactivating the power in total was 2 hours and 2 minutes with a combined time length the attack lasted for a total time of 16 hours and 55 minutes."

…

…

…

The silence said it all. The shock and horror of what happened during the breach. Two sets of wide eyes stared at the general, leaving one to only think of the panic the city must have felt. What the Grimm must have felt.

"Is the city okay? Where there any casualties?" Their reaction to this would have been justified if they had of know some interesting information.

Now leaving the bleak atmosphere, James almost expressionless face turned into a more uplifting shine and glow of what it was before.

"Surprisingly the Grimm did not attack the city and if the recordings are correct on their movements then they weren't even attracted to the negativity. In fact, they decreased in population by at least 32% after they detected the emotion, they raised slightly in population like it should and suddenly just dropped like as if there was something bigger going to happen or sensed."

A hum from the Headmaster of Beacon put the others to silence. Now looking at the general he asked. "What where the effects of the attack and if it were, what was most notable affect that did take place?"

Ever calculating, ever thinking. The thought was strange yet held martie such as 'what were the sighs' and 'what to look for' if the incident was bigger than they realised.

"The most notable was as it was doing at the tim-"

A ping was heard from the elevator and out stepped a blond teen looking at his scroll, trying to fix it as best he could. However; the assortment of random text, images and blank spots continued to flicker on the scroll in random succession.

Finally giving in with a sigh and looking up, realised that something important must be happening.

"Did I… ur," The general looked at him fiercely and with a very distinguishable gulp, continued with his question. "Did I come at a bad time?" If the nervous look Jaune was giving off it would have made him suspicious.

If Glynda Goodwitch didn't sigh and said in a defeated tone. "Again?"  
Such a simple question to an even more complicated answer.

"Again, same thing as last time. Do you think it's a virus or something like that?" The suggestion was just thrown out there that it was also a possibility. But with everything considered, Ms. Goodwitch was still trying to figure this out after the 4th handover of scrolls.

"Mr. Arc if I knew then it would have stopped at 20, not continue on to 275 now going on into 276, in just the last six months no less." Walking around to Ozpin's deck and opening the draw and grabbing a scroll and then looking through it. With a sigh of mild-disappointment she said.

"You have officially gone through all the student scroll replacements and are now being given a teacher class type scroll." Looking at Jaune with a face of what has been through this one too many times. "You should know all the requirements should anything happen."

A face of just being drained by this, stared back at her. "Yep, kinda' hard to when I have to come to you every other week. But thank you for assisting me, Ms. Goodwitch."  
Excepting the new scroll from the professor with a nod of thanks and turning to leave towards the elevator, leaving the broken scroll on the Headmaster's desk.

"Sorry for interrupting your meeting." Jaune said looking at the assembled Hunters. And with the closing of the doors, the elevator descended.

Ms. Goodwitch picked up the scroll to examine closer, before giving up and putting the beyond repair device on the desk for all eyes to see. But gaining the rapt attention of the general.

"You wanted to see what happened at the time of the attack," Looking up from the device to his colleagues and with a gesture of his hand to the device sitting in front of them continued on. "You are looking at it."

Ozpin now picking up the device inspected it closer, "What was the attack after, James?" lowering it just a bit to see his friend.

"Nothing in our system, which _**I**_ am certain of. Only using it to access the C.C.T. and searching through the logs of the attack it is not the first time it tried to access the C.C.T. with the signal having a more direct connection. I could only describe the attack as a panicked response to having a changed form of communication would be an apt description."

"And you think this scroll is somehow connected to the breach in security?" Ozpin said in curiosity while looking at the scroll and James.

"Yes, I do believe so Oz." The general of Atlas confirmed to his friend.

"Very well, Beacon will assist you, only after we see this video James, I wish to know what I'm sending my students into and if they can handle it."

"Understood, however they will not be going anywhere within 6.5 km of the area. To put it simply, they are only to keep the Grimm out and make sure they don't interfere with the operation or personal entering the facility." Understanding his fellow Headmaster's worries and wellbeing for their students in what they can and can't handle.

"Are you sure Oz? This maybe a deadly foe for even yourself." Qrow asked, concerned for both students and his nieces. More towards his nieces than anything.

"I agree with Qrow on this Ozpin. Is this the right step because we are pushing Queen mystery to the side for now," Her gaze contained worry for all those involved. The blond paused for a second.

"Are they more dangerous than Queen, or a threat that hasn't surface yet and a likely possibility, this being an accident?" Unsure of how to procced, let alone approach the situation at hand.

"Accident or not the damage done is extensive. Not to mention the council is still expecting an attack from the Grimm at any time." Ironwood said to clear up the situation. "But so far the Grimm are trying to vacate the area. The reason is unknown but with a time frame of a week, but with the discovery to the complex the Grimm in a 30 km area to the building is almost completely non-existent."

"Are we going to watch this video or not." The impatience Qrow showed how much he wanted this out of the way.

The others in the group looked to him as if expecting more.

"Very well, I do guess I should play the video that was acquired." The general replied as he grabbed his scroll and getting to the video.

"Was there a problem with revival of the footage?" Ozpin seeing the unspoken information as clear as day.

Looking up from the scroll having found the video, James replied with an undecided tone. "Yes and No. Another team was sent into the facility, I sent a small group of soldiers giving them orders not to enter the facility to gather knowledge as to why the scouting party sent before them failed to transmit any form of communication. Saying that they set up an observation post around 2 miles from the facility. The video was acquired after the scouting party found a helmet deep within the facility and brought it back to examine at the communication setup."

Pressing paly the video began, before any more questions could be asked.

The fuzz of static masked the screen of communications back to the Atlas military base as the group of Bullheads proceeded above the heavily dense snowy forest sitting in the mountain range. With the captain of the group announcing to the troops and scouts that command is either out of range or signal interference over the short range radio.

Moving into the cabin of the Bullhead to survey the area, the Captain spotting a ridge roughly 2.5k out with the facility slightly in sight, believing it a good forwarding post of communications, she ordered the pilots to land on the ridge.

Now getting close to landing on the ridge they could get an appropriate read on the facility. Getting various information on just how big the building itself was on the surface and how dense the foliage was around it as best they could.

"Alright men." The Captain said into her helmet. "When we land I want communications set up in an area that I specify, weapons checked and the surrounding area of Grimm checked and cleared. Am I understood?"

The troops responded with a mighty ' **YES SIR** ' leaving the Captain to nod her head. To the troops in the Bullhead with her in the aircraft, moved to prep for the landing coming in quickly. The compartment's doors slid open to the freezing cold snow and wind.

"Right, we're here go get into that facility and get some kind of information. For now, until the outpost is set up I wan-" The Captain was interrupted when a recruit called out pointing to a building just a small trek down the slope. A thought came to the Captain and quickly ordered the soldiers to clear the area of snow.

After half an hour of clearing the area a landing pad was reviled to the group of military personal. "This was here? Huh, well I'm not one to kick a gift horse in the mouth." The Captain announced. Standing up from the ground after examining the landing pad she turned to the men and women present, now giving orders to move down to the building.

After a 15-minute trek down the snow covered road they reached the building covered in snow with other sheds set up in an area around what appeared to be a snow covered road, with the sheds most likely contained equipment or various vehicle types in use to mauver the snowy forest.

Moving to gain entry to the main looking building the Captain moved to inspect if there was anything of interest looking through the glass panel on the door. As she leaned up against the door it moved inwards with the Captain falling in with a muffled crash alerting the others and moving to the Captain's position on high alert with their weapons drawn.

A voice told them to stand-down and they did helping the Captain up from the ground. "So the doors unlocked, was not expecting that at all." The response put the group on edge. "Search the building then report back."

Some of the soldiers' brock off from the group and to move and secure the building. Once reporting back with nothing of importance found other than the building being 'clear' with no sign of life existing with in this building for a long while. Deeming the building appropriate the Captain gave the all clear for set up and locking down the area.

Sending a two-person squad up to tell the pilots to get as close to the buildings as they could land.

The main area to the building was now set up for communications and tracking of all squad mates. Looking over the monitors, the Captain looked outside to see the weather clearing up and ordered everyone to perp before brief, they assembled in the main lobby of the building separating into their separate squads rapidly awaiting the Captain's orders.

"Right so this is how this is going down." The Captain informed her unit looking them over. "Scout squad S-Alpha is to approach the building but under any circumstances are not to enter the compound area until all clear is called. The rest will be hanging back here awaiting orders to move in. Now five soldiers and a piolet are to remain here with a bullhead on standby."

Gaining a heavy tone, she sealed the fate of those that would be entering the facility with a single command. "If the mission goes south in any form, those that will be staying behind are to evacuate and I give the authorization to request a bombing run on the area no excuse, if, buts or maybes. These are the orders and the reason why is because we do not know what is inside or below, let alone if it's friendly."

With the main problem out the way the group that was selected to stay behind got seated at the coms station and looked on as the others moved out, leaving the Captain to say the finale word. "Remember follow it to the letter, I do expect you to leave and call an air strike, bombing run or whatever they call it. I want this place destroyed no matter the cost, am I understood?"

Defaulting to their military training they replied with a ' **YES MA'AM** ' before saluting as she stepped out the door leaving them with the finale stand between lost and unknown. Looking to the screens the mission finally began.

The scouts moved in the general direction of the main entrance of the compound though the thick forest, when they came upon a rifle sticking out the snow. Moving with caution they reported this back to the Captain and pressed forward.

The more they got closer the more it looked like a battle field of death and rubble then any else. When they came across a Grimm, now when the enemy that charges blindly at your structures without a care is considered normal. But when it has a look of fear that is when you should be questioning what is going on to make them afraid, especially when it looks to you for comfort.

With the Grimm now following them towards the compound courtyard. It is fairly obvious that there was more than a battle that occurred. Moving in to the courtyard observing the pile of wreckage, they fan out to cover more ground.

When they come across a mostly intact aircraft to make the symbol on the side. A scout radios in, "This is S-Alpha 13-Cavern reporting in. I just found a mostly intact wreckage of a Bullhead and… and it is White Fang, I repeat the craft is White Fang. Please Respond."

"S-Alpha 13-Cavern I heard White Fang are in the area is this correct?" The Corporal asked their subordinate.

"I can confirm White Fang are in the area."

The information was passed on to the Captain, who then gave the all clear to move in to the courtyard of the base.

With the unit now in the courtyard and all accounted for the first thing the Captain asked had to involve their new friend.

"You just found it standing in front of the hole in the gate over by the main entrance, staring off into the distance and is now friendly?" The unamused tone made itself known as she stared at the Ursa acting very child-like and hiding behind her soldiers.

"Has the main entry been located?" The building was finally going to have more visitors in a long while or short while.

"Yes ma'am, however you'll want to look at the Bullhead first."

The Captain nodding to direct her towards this interesting thing when they approached the Bullhead it became known that they weren't entering, they were trying to escape and died trying.

"Right what am I looking at here."

As the scout explained what the scene on the Bullhead looked like, the facility beeped and then a siren bleared as the main vehicle entry to the building was opening releasing a pack of Beowulfs and an Alpha Beowulf running out of the darkness with a few White Fang grunts running with them before getting to the other side of the courtyard when they realised the Atlas military pointing their weapons at them as a sign to stand down. What they didn't expect was for them to come running to them begging them to take them to an Atlas prison or working in the Schnee's dust mines with the pack cowering behind them no less.

" **HEY**." The Captain shouted to get them to calm down enough for a suitable form of communication. "What happened? Word for word."

Looking to each other before answering the leader of the small group came forward to lay down their happenings.

"And after that the courtyard was sent to hell and one Bullhead apparently made it out. Before getting hit out the sky and being turned to dust in the wind. After that the coms had a series of tones and pitches happening then nothing but heavy breathing, but that turned out to be those guys over there." He pointed a thumb over to the pack of Grimm waiting behind the two other White Fang members. "At the end of the corridor cowering in fear."

"But that isn't to say that we own the base, we were only told to investigate the area and came across this building by accident. From the findings, this appeared to be some kind of lab if the dead scientists are to go by anything." He ended that there looking back to the door that closed a while ago.

"Dead scientists, **DID YOU KILL THEM?!** " The Captain screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Eh? Wait you think…" The look of hurt that showed was a bit of guilt trip admittedly. "Even if we found any of them we didn't kill them." Avoiding eye contact from the Captain he said.  
"WE didn't kill them, the building did. We just found them but the scariest part is that is that the building feels… sentient and even the Grimm are afraid of going inside. However they got in is a good question too." Finished in a slightly angry voice. "Never thought I would say that." He mumbled to himself.

Considering the terrorist's words, the Captain gave one last question. "Where there more of you than those dead on the surface and you three?"

Turing his whole body to face her, he looked her in the eyes with an emotion that was of a soldier. "Yes, there was more of us but the building of death split us all up into groups. Some of us are most defiantly dead. And _**I**_ do not want to go back down there and that's not even mentioning the entire facility considering we couldn't get past the 5th floor. Garage department specifically."

"You're coming with us." Her eyes told him there were no arguments.

"Okay. We will come back in but _**we**_ are only looking for any remains of our comrades or those that have gone insane, either or." The captain could relate to that kind of care for a fellow leader, even if they are fighting against each other and what he said was he didn't care but in the grand scheme of things it would be considered a mercy.

"Even if the place is armed to even a light switch, essentially what I'm saying is if that thing controlling the building wanted use dead. It would have done it when we stormed the gate. Which was not taken very kindly." Gesturing to the craters and destruction around the area in and outside the courtyard.

Unsettling the Captain, she turned to look at him giving him the benefit of the doubt. Seeking further information, she asked about how armed the place is. Leader of the group of three, they quickly pointed out what and where the weapons are in the walls and ground.

Taking in the information as best she could the uncertainty of what this building / facility / compound was holding with in its walls is something to be feared.

Moving forward giving the command for the others to follow they approached the garage door and if the information was correct then the doors shoul-

With a grinding screech the big metal doors slid apart revealing a very damaged and body heavy room. White Fang and the occasional white lab coat or blue and black uniform corpses littered the room all of them riddled with bullet holes.

"Well, That's pretty disconcerting. Upside found out what the screaming was." Pretty sure on who said that and considering her group hasn't even moved in through the door and her instincts where telling her to run even if it brought shame said volumes that light humour was even attempted. Soldiering on they walked into the room used for storing ground based vehicles, more alert than ever.

And respecting the dead as they walked around them, regardless of who they were. Coming up on to a door that lead deeper in to the facility wide open with a long hallway of blood stained floor, bullet ridden metal and a coppery tang in the air with the sight and horror of ground up paste with crimson liquid on the floor and close to halfway up the walls.

The horrified expressions on everyone's face -including the Grimm- display absolute fear, disgust and a deep panic of the unknown and just what this place can do with the hidden secrets that where most likely taken to the grave. Slowly moving through the flickering corridor following a direction to go into the metaphorical and literal 'belly of the beast' with nothing but a gun that will most likely turn out useless and light to no armour, what a joke.

Through the flickering darkness the group of misfits came to an intersection in the hallway. A sign being illuminate be flickering lights showed left was the barracks and quarters and to the right was offices.

"Aaah, back here well if it's any help left leads back to the surface and is least protected. Right is just offices for the paper work department, I think." Looking right before gazing at the Captain.

"Forward and down into the unknown then, really not liking this place the deeper in we go." Leaving the conversation there moving into the murky darkness the inactive guiding lights activated going down the path that this group is now treading a way behind them.

* * *

 **This is my first fanfiction. So I would like to apologizes if you do get lost and if you are here is a current summary of what has happened so far:**

 _ **In order of events**_

 _ **First section**_

 **Ruby and Jaune are in the Library after class/lecture where Jaune's scroll basically got hacked.**

 **so then went to see Goodwhitch about getting a replacement.**

 _ **Ozpin's office**_

 **However walks into a very important meeting in response to the breach in security in Atlas.**

 **They then traced in back to the facility in the first chapter where the compound was not under the 'thing's control.**

 **The attack on Atlas is when the 'thing' in reference to the last chapter has taken control of the facility.**

 _ **The Video**_

 **Ironwood then sent a infiltration group to go investigate the facility and when they did not report back he**

 **sent another squad to not enter the facility but retrieve any trace of them from the surface.**

 **Not sure what rating this will continue to be due to it sounding more like M.**

 **Another thing may have parings later down the line so another thing to look forward to I guess.**

 **Do as you please and if you could be kind as to review just to let me know to continue.**


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